Florida Republicans rushed through House Bill 1021, the bill passed FL House by vote 73-40, to make it illegal to have public employees' union dues taken directly from their paychecks and outlaw similar voluntary deductions for political funds they support -- thus weakening organized labor financially, and politically.

I have just remarried and now have two step children -- an 8 year old girl and an 11 year old boy. The girl is quiet and the boy is angry. My new wife is wonderful and wants me to be close to the children. But when I try, it doesn’t seem to work, she gets upset and the kids go to their rooms. And there I am alone watching T.V. Help!

Teachers, firefighters, librarians and other public service workers will be joined by their supporters in a pro-labor rally at Wickham Park Pavilion next to Brevard Community College, Melbourne Campus, at 1pm Sunday, March 20, 2011. The rally is sparked by continuing cuts and threats of more cuts to wages, benefits and retirement pensions.

The right to bargain collectively for workplace conditions, employment wages and benefits was hard-earned less than 100 years ago. The process 'enhances human dignity, liberty and autonomy of workers by giving them the opportunity to influence the establishment of workplace rules and thereby gain some control over a major aspect of their lives, namely their work...'

March 19th is the 8th anniversary of the Iraq war, a war based on lies. "Combat" troops have left Iraq; but 17 U.S. bases remain, along with 50,000 troops and uncounted foreign private mercenary contractors.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, other public agencies and private landowners are collaborating on the Greater Everglades Partnership Initiative for land conservation in the Everglades headwaters. A show of public support is needed to overcome the opposition, which is already active. Info here. By Doug Sphar, Turtle Coast Sierra Club.

Move to Amend seeks to establish that 'money is not speech' and 'human beings, not corporations, are persons entitled to constitutional rights.' A report on the 'Move to Amend' Seminar in West Palm Beach on March 12, 2011. By Barbara Murphy.

At the beginning of this year, Wisconson was on course to end 2011 with a budget surplus of $120 million. Newly elected GOP Governor Scott Walker then "signed two business tax breaks and a conservative health-care policy experiment that lowers overall tax revenues (among other things). The new legislation was not offset, and it turned a surplus into a deficit." ...Walker then used the deficit he'd created as the justification for assaulting his state's public employees… and his continuing attack on union labor. / MICHAEL MOORE VIDEO

Action Mon. or Tues. Mar. 7 or 8! Science-based Selection and Mgt. Committee of Environmentally Endangered Land (EEL) Program recommends purchase of two properties below average of recent appraisals, US Air Force would pay half, as trade-off against future development of land near or next to Space Center. Easy action, info here.

The Florida legislature is considering two bad bills, that, if passed, would take away local governments' ability to regulate sales and use of lawn fertilizer, a source of phosphorus harmful to Florida waters. The bills are being promoted to benefit out-of-state fertilizer companies (Big Business), at expense of small Florida companies (Small Business) that make Florida-safe fertilizer. UPDATE: PASSES HOUSE COMMITTEE BY ONE VOTE (WORKMAN!); VOTE PASSES SEN. AG. COMMITTEE

Thursday February 24th at 6:30 The Melbourne “Move To Amend” will meet at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brevard. Speaker will be John Carter.

We will continue our discussion about the impact of living in a society structured by corporations and the impact that has on our psychological and spiritual life. And we will begin to look at Supreme Court Cases that deal with corporate personhood.

The Space Coast Progressive Alliance advances progressive policies at the local, state and national level through support of political candidates, education on critical issues, coordination of activities among local and state progressive organizations, and providing internet resources. We are a grassroots organization of concerned citizens who strive for domestic and international policies beneficial to the well-being and self-determination of Americans and all peoples of the world, for protection of civil and personal liberties, and for progressive environmental, economic, labor, health care, social welfare, education, foreign, and defense policies.